Racing Through Africa

There’s a very unusual race held annually called the East African Safari Classic Rally. It’s pretty much the coolest thing in the world. It’s a little complicated but I’ll give you the highlights.

The race is through Africa (Kenya and Tanzania). You drive through 3,000 miles of rocks, sand, mud, grass, flash floods, snakes, lions, heatstroke, and wind exposure. Drivers regularly crash into trees, get sunburned, splash cars into lakes due to sudden floods, and all kinds of other crazy shit.

If that sounds just a little too easy, it gets worse. One of the rules is that all racers must drive production passenger cars made before 1978.

It gets even worse (or should I say, cooler). No custom cars are allowed. No four-wheel drives allowed. The cars must have their original engines. You can get new shocks and install a roll bar, but that’s about it.

As a result, most guys tend to use old Porsches because they ride a little higher than most sports cars. Helps with the rocks.

Just imagine driving a 35 year-old sports car through remote Africa as fast as you can while trying to beat other racers.

Imagine how much of a badass you would feel like if you won the thing.